Middle Eastern-Spiced Rice with Peas and Pistachios
Middle Eastern-Spiced Rice with Peas and Pistachios will transport you to Morocco…or Egypt or Israel. You get the idea! Lots of flavor in this side dish that pairs extremely well with all kinds of meat dishes. Let Middle Eastern-Spiced Rice with Peas and Pistachios enchant your taste buds with another region of the world.
Jump to RecipeBase Ingredients for Rice
Dice onion, slice garlic and measure kosher salt.
Grind Pistachios
Grind pistachios in a spice mill or coffee grinder. If you don’t have a spice grinder, you can still make this recipe. Try using a food processor, blender, or doing it by hand. If you do it by hand, you won’t be able to achieve a “powder-like, fine consistency” but it will still taste delicious. Measure the spices (ground cumin, ground coriander, and turmeric). Rinse rice in a strainer until water runs clear.
Heat oil in an ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Then add onion, garlic, and salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, until onion is translucent but not browned. Then add remaining spices, ground pistachios, and rice and sauté for another minute, until fragrant.
Stir in water, place lid on the pot, and place covered pot in preheated oven on the bottom or middle rack.
Peas and Parsley
While rice is cooking chop parsley and measure out peas.
Blanch peas in boiling water for two minutes and then “shock” in an ice bath to lock-in the bright green color. Once peas have cooled, remove the ice cubes and drain the water. Place peas in a small bowl and set aside. Or, if you’re not a fan of “blanching and shocking”, you can let frozen peas thaw in the refrigerator overnight (which means you will need to plan ahead!). Be sure to drain peas of any excess liquid before adding them to the rice.
Rice Pilaf Assembly
Once rice is cooked through, remove pot from the oven keeping the lid on to let the rice steam for an additional 10 minutes. Then add peas and parsley right before serving and give a good stir to combine.
Middle Eastern-Spiced Rice with Peas and Pistachios
Transfer rice to a serving bowl and garnish with parsley and pistachios if desired.
Middle Eastern-Spiced Rice with Peas and Pistachios
Equipment
- Spice or Coffee Grinder
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 onion white, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 cup pistachios(raw and unsalted), ground in a spice mill or coffee grinder*
- 1 cup white rice jasmine or basmati, rinsed
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup fresh or frozen peas blanched and shocked
- 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley chopped
- Garnish with parsley sprigs and pistachios if desired optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees on Bake setting.
- While oven is preheating, heat oil in an ovenproof pot over medium heat.
- Add onion, garlic, and salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, until onion is translucent but not browned.
- Then add remaining spices, pistachios, and rice and saute for another minute, until fragrant.
- Stir in water, place lid on the pot, and place covered pot in the oven on the bottom or middle rack.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until rice is cooked through.
- While rice is cooking, blanch peas in boiling water for 2 minutes. Then transfer peas to a bowl filled with cold water and ice to shock them and lock in the bright green color. Once peas have cooled, remove the ice cubes and drain the water. Place peas in a small bowl and set aside. if you’re not a fan of “blanching and shocking”, you can let frozen peas thaw in the refrigerator overnight (which means you will need to plan ahead!). Be sure to drain peas of any excess liquid before adding them to the rice.
- Once rice is cooked through, remove pot from the oven keeping the lid on to let the rice steam for an additional 10 minutes.
- Before serving, mix in the peas and the parsley until combined.
- Garnish with parsley sprigs and pistachios if desired.
Notes
Many thanks to my friend Lynne who suggested I try this recipe. Recipe from Israeli Soul cookbook and modified by me.
If you like this recipe, you may also like these GFchow recipes. Turmeric Coconut Crunch Rice with Wilted Spinach, Lemongrass Chicken, Baked Risotto with Kale, Spinach, and Peas, and Roasted Beet Salad with Feta and Toasted Pecans.
GLUTEN FREE DISCLAIMER
The recipes you find here are considered by me to be gluten free. However, it is up to you to make sure the ingredients you use are gluten free. Whenever possible, I will list specific brands of ingredients that I use, but always be sure to check the labels yourself to verify the item is gluten free.
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